A double-murder suspect who fled to France proclaimed his innocence to cops – saying that a Russian spy involved in the killings ordered him abroad to hand over blood diamonds.

The bizarre account given by Southport dad Barry Morrow – was found unconscious in his prison cell while awaiting trial for the alleged murders of his ex-partner and her elderly mum – was made to detectives after he handed himself at the Port of Dover following a public appeal.

Ex-airport worker Morrow was accused of strangling Angela Holgate, 54, and Alice Huyton, 75, at the home he lodged at with Mrs Holgate in December 2011.

He told police that he discovered Mrs Holgate hanging from stairs at her home in Fairhaven Road, Churchtown, after returning from a week away.

Alice Huyton and her daughter Angela Holgate,

He said he cradled her body for a “couple of days” before a member of Russian intelligence service – whom he said was known as Trevor – arrived at the house.

DCI Alyson O’Donnell said Morrow tried to pin the death of Ms Huyton on the spy and said he was told to drive to France for “a handover of conflict diamonds”.

She told the hearing in Manchester: “He did say originally that the first female had hung herself and that he sat with her body for a couple of days, but with the arrival of the third party he then introduced the idea of duress.

“He said his son was being surveilled and that’s why he didn’t call the police.

“But he went out every day, he did bank transactions, he went to get the paper every day which doesn’t fit with someone being under duress.”

Asked about what Morrow had to say over the death of Ms Huyton, the detective added: “He tried to draw the inference there was a third party responsible for the death. In some instances he gave answers which on the face of it appeared fanciful.”

An earlier inquest was told Morrow and Mrs Holgate had been in a relationship but had split up.

The tragedy occurred after she tried to rekindle the romance but when he refused she asked him to move out.

It is believed Morrow strangled Mrs Holgate and kept her body in the house for several days before killing Mrs Huyton when she turned up to check on her daughter.